


Not A Date

by agoodtuckering



Series: Doctor Who Stories [35]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friendship/Love, He just doesn't want to admit it to Clara, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining, The Doctor is very protective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29611710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agoodtuckering/pseuds/agoodtuckering
Summary: A brief glimpse into the lives of the Doctor and Clara, when they're not traveling around the Universe. Clara wants the Doctor to join her for a night out with her mates, including time spent with a close friend, Nina, but he declines.
Relationships: Twelfth Doctor/Clara Oswin Oswald
Series: Doctor Who Stories [35]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1045997
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Not A Date

“It’s just a date,” Clara reassured him, stepping out of the TARDIS and into her bedroom. The Doctor was standing on the threshold with his arms crossed over his chest, a rather indignant expression on his face. He didn’t say anything at first, though. And then: 

“It’s not just a date, Clara. What would… What will everyone say? Your family, I mean. Your father. Your step-mother. They’ll probably start asking questions… Like how you’re feeling now, about Danny. How you’re doing. You know, all that. Humans love to ask invasive and personal questions. I’ve noticed that.” 

She sighed, turning to cast a glance over her shoulder. “Here’s the thing,” she began. “Nina begged me to come. This guy, James, is a very good friend of her boyfriend’s. He’s already coming along. It’s not  _ really  _ a date, I guess. I’m not looking to be with someone.” 

_ I’m already taken,  _ she thought to herself. And besides,  _ everything with Danny is still too fresh.  _ Her heart ached to think of him, to think of what she’d put him through. Sweet, strong Danny. Her soldier. Her protector. 

She had another guardian and protector and he was standing right beside her now, arms still crossed over his chest and a frown marring his features. He looked like a petulant child. 

“Well,” Clara offered, finally turning to him, “it’s either I go with James tonight or I go  _ with you. _ Take your pick. But whatever you decided, you’d better not complain about it later. I don’t see you coming along and pretending to be my date. Or… not pretending… Either way, I can’t see that happening.”   
  
He blinked a few too many times. “What do you mean… or  _ not  _ pretending? What is that even supposed to mean, Clara? … And no, I don’t do dates. Not even pretend ones. I’m a bad actor, anyway. We’ve already learned that.”

_ Except you’re not pretending when you look at me with those big, sad eyes, like you want to kiss me.  _ The words rang and rang inside of her mind and she swallowed thickly, turning to cast a glance up at her Doctor for a moment. 

Opting for sass instead of seriousness, she replied, “It wouldn’t be the first date we’ve gone on, you and I, eh? If you don’t want me going out with James tonight…”   
  
They had been traveling together nonstop since Christmas. She’d barely been home at all. This was their first  _ break  _ since that fateful day they had been reunited again. She’d practically been living aboard the TARDIS with him. They were eating up all of Time and Space together, like little bairns with addiction issues. They couldn’t have enjoyed themselves more. 

He huffed, leant against her doorway now. “No,” he said petulantly. “Go. Enjoy your  _ date  _ with Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome. Whatever his name was. I don’t remember. I’ve already deleted it. I don’t care.” 

She huffed and stepped off the TARDIS, wishing he could just be  _ normal.  _ If he wanted something,  _ well,  _ he should have gone for it. Like her for instance… 

Later in the evening, as she arrived home, she found the flat quiet. She tossed her tiny clutch bag onto the sofa and sighed softly. It was dark, too dark to really see, and she stumbled over to turn a lamp on. She found, though, that something was in the way. As soon as the light was turned on, she realized, with startling clarity despite how tipsy she was, that the Doctor was asleep on her sofa. 

_ “Doctor?”  _

He was fast asleep. She took a moment to simply look at him, a warm expression on her face. She huffed, reaching out to brush a hand over his hair. It was something she  _ never  _ would have done if he’d been awake. Never in a million years. 

He stirred in that moment. His eyes popped open rather quickly and he sat upright. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he offered, “I figured I’d better stay over to make sure you made it home alright. I didn’t mean to have a nap. Let’s pretend that never happened.”    
  
He looked grumpy now. At having been caught, maybe. Who knew. 

“That’s… surprisingly sweet, actually,” she said, shocked and bewildered. The warmth that filled her chest took her by surprise and she had to cough to cover up the catch in her breath. 

She traipsed over towards the kitchen area to put the kettle on, turning the lights on as she passed the switch on the wall. 

“Thanks,” she called to him. “Fancy a cuppa?” 

When she turned, she found him in the doorway, not quite in the room yet. 

“Tea would be nice,” the Doctor responded, almost bashfully. She really saw through him and he utterly hated it most of the time. She saw more than anyone else ever did. 

“You might want to ditch the heels,” he teased. “You look like a baby deer learning to walk for the first time. Had a bit to drink tonight, did you?” 

She tried to ignore the momentary rage that filled her chest as his comment. She let it go, turning instead to send a glare his way. He didn’t mean anything by his digs and retorts. He was just as self-conscious as he was cutting and arrogant. She knew the truth.

“How did your not-date go?”

His voice caught her by surprise again and she turned to him, with a laugh, and replied, “Just fine, thanks. No spark.” She gave him  _ the look,  _ adding, “Would’ve been more fun if you’d been there. Nina constantly asks about this partner I supposedly traverse the world with. By which I mean you, of course, you old numpty.” 

He huffed. “The world? More like the  _ Universe.  _ Not just this planet.” 

She rolled her eyes as she poured hot water into the waiting teapot, adding two bags afterward and setting the pot’s top down to let it steep. “She doesn’t know that,” she replied. “And honestly, she never will. Could you imagine? Most people think you’re absolutely barmy when you say you travel around, knocking about the Universe. Sorry, but it’s true.” 

It was with a sigh that he finally came over. His hand moved through his curly hair. “Yeah, well, people on this planet are just so  _ closed off  _ to the idea of anything being out there, in the stars. They only see themselves. They can’t see past their tiny circle of people and family. They’re selfish. You aren’t, though.”   
  
She laughed softly. “No, I’m not. I love traveling with you, Starman.” 

He only smiled at that, saying nothing else. 

It was nothing if not a tiny glimpse into the quieter moments they shared. The peace and tranquility of it all. Just a moment in Time, just them, nothing else. 

Even tipsy, even bumping around her kitchen, he rather thought he loved her in every possible way. A deep, burning, passionate sort of love that went beyond romance and intimacy. Both of his hearts were hers. 

_ Maybe one day he’d tell her. _


End file.
